Product Analysis of Laundry Baskets
History
A laundry basket, an object that seems to be extremely ordinary in our daily life, has an unexpectedly long history. Its history began in the 14th century when wicker baskets were being largely used to contain and transport objects that are not only limited to clothes. However, the idea of cloth hampers did not arise until the 17th century, and the concept of a movable hamper for sorting clothes did not emerge till the 18th century (Dibacco). Through a long time of development, laundry baskets have been considered an independent product in current society. Plastic, wicker, fabric, and metal are now being used as primary materials for it, causing a potential issue on material sustainability and recycling. Especially under the influence of Capitalism, where people would want to maximize profit and convenience, instead of focusing on resource preservation. Furthermore, concerns about the environment have also been raised for the process of doing laundry because of its high energy and water consumption. According to National Park Services, the average American family would use about 12300 gallons of water per year for the operation of washing machines. Thus, laundry baskets could have a big role when it comes to the sustainability movement.
Why Does a Laundry Basket Look Like That?
Laundry baskets come in a variety of shapes and sizes, each with their own unique features. Plastic baskets are the most popular but also the most likely to end up thrown away without a second thought. They’re the most popular for a good reason though. They are easy to mass manufacture out of a single injection mold and made of cheap plastic. This makes it cheap for the consumer as well, and plastic is lightweight, easy to clean, and durable. However, fabric laundry bags have the advantage of carrying more, being easier to repair and recycle, and are machine washable. Wicker/woven baskets have been around the longest and remain used today because of their sturdiness, aesthetic appeal, and the natural ventilation of wicker. One of the most important traits for a laundry basket to have is ventilation because odor comes from the bacteria that develops in damp dirty clothes. Ideally, clothes should be completely dry before adding them to the laundry basket. Another important feature is the handles on your laundry basket. This is one of the most common places for hampers to fail due to overloading the basket. The handles are also the main interaction point with the product and determine how difficult and straining the load will be to carry. Many baskets will have dips in them to match your hip while carrying them and include an extra handle for holding in both orientations.
The Life Of a Laundry Basket
The life cycle of a laundry basket tells us a lot about why it may be disposed of. From the time you buy a laundry basket, it is always in use and often being moved. It’s a carrier and vessel for dirty laundry that does not need to be organized. It can live in multiple places, either next to the laundry machines while in use, or in the bedroom. It often becomes a part of the decor for rooms unless it is stowed away. A see-through basket may look worse but it can also help you locate a clothing item or serve as a blatant reminder that it is time to do laundry. Most find laundry a mindless chore, but it requires mindful sustainable practices if you want to avoid damages to the environment. For example, overloading and under-loading can lead to more unnecessary water wastage than necessary.
What Happens At The End Of Its Life Cycle?
Laundry baskets can last a variety of years depending on its durability, but it is never an item you pass down like an heirloom. Some last a few months, others can last 5–10 years if you’re lucky. Eventually the handles break, the outside gets torn up, there’s dents or warps, water /laundry products spill on it, or it gets dirty on the bottom. This often signals the end of a laundry basket. Some people use cheap fixes like thread or duct tape to fix it, while others use more involved approaches like wood work, knitting and 3-D printing the handles! However, one of the biggest reasons laundry baskets are thrown away is due to this high effort low reward situation. So baskets end up in landfills or donation centers, or maybe they get recycled if the user knows where to recycle numbers 1, 2, and 3 plastics or fabric textiles. However, sometimes it just gets forgotten at a laundromat or dorm laundry room for someone to take or dispose of it.
